Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: Trump's plan to deploy American military forces in the effort to deport millions of undocumented immigrants would have a major presence in Texas: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/18/us/politics/trump-military-mass-deportation.html ...U.S. Rep. Chip Roy disagrees with the rosy assessment of fellow GOP Rep. Tony Gonzales, that Trump's dragnet will spare workers and grandmas - Roy wants them all out: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/18/tony...
Nov 19, 2024•8 min
Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: The Texas State Board of Education is set to vote today on the adoption of "Bluebonnet Learning", public school materials developed under a new Texas law that allows the frequent use of Christian Bible lessons: https://communityimpact.com/austin/south-central-austin/texas-legislature/2024/11/15/texas-board-of-education-to-vote-on-first-state-developed-textbooks-nov-18/ ...TEA Commissioner Mike Morath has testified that these Bible lessons h...
Nov 18, 2024•8 min
Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: Amidst a disastrous election cycle for progressives, it turns out that most of the candidates running for school board seats on book-banning platforms lost: https://www.lonestarlive.com/news/2024/11/most-texas-school-board-candidates-who-support-book-bans-lost-their-elections.html ...Not that MAGA types are giving up on their war on Texas' LGBTQ+ communities: https://www.advocate.com/politics/republican-gloats-lgbtq-studies-texas-ended Regr...
Nov 15, 2024•9 min
Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: Senator John Cornyn, betrayed by Ted Cruz, after a half-million dollar campaign contribution, came in second in the race for Senate Majority Leader, with Scott coming in dead last: https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/john-cornyn-senate-majority-texas-19912686.php Elon Musk backed Scott as well, who was cut on the first vote - perhaps undermining Musk's perception of extensive influence over the Senate or over Trump: https://www...
Nov 14, 2024•9 min
Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: Harsh facts face families with undocumented members in Texas as preparations begin for Donald Trump's promised deportation of millions: https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2024/11/13/trumps-mass-deportation-plan-fact-vs-fiction-whats-next-for-texas/ Advocacy organizations like the ACLU and RAICES are up against a relentless and uncaring opponent with limitless resources: https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/texas-trump-anti-immigrant-po...
Nov 13, 2024•11 min
Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: Tom Homan, an associate of Governor Abbott and a fellow at the Heritage Foundation, has been picked by Donald Trump to head up his promised mass roundup of immigrants once he takes office: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/texas/article/trump-tom-homan-texas-border-deportation-19906670.php ...While urgency builds among Texas immigrants, especially women who have been victims of crime and abuse: https://www.keranews.org/immigration/2...
Nov 12, 2024•8 min
Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: As expected, Texas Democratic Party Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa resigned: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/08/texas-democrat-party-resigns-gilberto-hinojosa/ Texas will be the epicenter of Donald Trump's promised massive deportation operation, with the complicity of conservatives in Texas: https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/texas/trump-immigration-crackdown-deportation-texas-plans-border-president-elect-mexico-remain/269-b3a25000-f6...
Nov 11, 2024•9 min
Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: Gilberto Hinojosa, Chair of the Texas Democratic Party since 2012, is reported to be set to announce his resignation today: https://quorumreport.com/quorum_report_daily_buzz_2024/texas_democratic_party_chairman_hinojosa_to_announ_buzziid32336.html ...This follows uproar over comments Hinojosa made using the TDP's defense of trans Texans as an example of a reason for the historic election loss this week: https://www.chron.com/politics/articl...
Nov 08, 2024•10 min
At this early stage, understanding how and why America chose to re-elect Donald Trump is beyond anyone's reach - it will take years to analyze both the prelude and the eventual aftermath. For now, at Progress Texas we are preparing for the next step: the 2025 Texas Legislature will feature an even more entrenched and power-drunk Republican majority. We gathered most of the crew for this one to share our thoughts on the situation, what needs to be addressed in Texas, and what the immediate path f...
Nov 08, 2024•1 hr 12 min
Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: Multiple Texas news outlets are pointing to the Texas Democratic Party, led by Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa since 2012, which must own a major part of this historic defeat. Reform Austin: https://www.reformaustin.org/elections/after-three-decades-of-defeat-will-texas-democrats-finally-demand-change/ ...The Texas Observer: https://www.texasobserver.org/texas-house-dems-defeat-2024/ ...The Texas Tribune: https://www.texasobserver.org/texas-hous...
Nov 07, 2024•9 min
We are just like you in our dismay at the results of yesterday's election. Today is a day to absorb the shock and process our emotions. But tuning out and staying home in future political battles is not an option. We must continue to fight fascism and the erasure of our rights, together. Campaigns come and go, but our progressive movement is forever. An authoritarian extremist ruling party deserves a strong, united opposition. Stay with us. Learn more about how to support Progress Texas, where o...
Nov 06, 2024•5 min
Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: It's Election Day! Any questions? Hit https://govotetexas.org/ . Our endorsed candidates: https://progresstexas.org/blog/progress-texas-november-general-election-endorsement-list While our early voting totals are technically down from 2020, that year was unusual due to extended early voting and massive mail-in voting due to the pandemic: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/11/04/texas-early-voting-turnout-rate-down/ ...Still, more people have...
Nov 05, 2024•9 min
The draconian abortion ban that has stripped away the reproductive freedom of ALL Texans and endangered - and in at least two cases, ended - the lives of ALL pregnant people in Texas remains in place. No single election will fix this issue - only steady, sustained advocacy for our basic rights will get the job done. A group of talented musicians has put together a terrific way for people who are frustrated with the situation to express themselves in a way that will help spread understanding and ...
Nov 04, 2024•26 min
Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: Early voting totals turn out below 2020 overall, with encouraging stats for both sides - for Dems, heavy early turnout for women could be key: https://www.statesman.com/story/news/columns/2024/11/03/who-has-voted-early-in-texas-2024-elections-trump-harris/75989548007/ ...Almost half of the total of registered voters in Texas have showed up early: https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/texas/almost-half-of-texas-registered-voters-early-voti...
Nov 04, 2024•9 min
Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: Today is the last day to vote early in the 2024 election - after today, only Election Day on Tuesday remains: GoVoteTexas.org In spite of huge urban turnout, the vast expanse of rural Texas continues outpacing the cities: https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/suburban-texas-counties-see-surge-in-voter-turnout-as-early-voting-nears-end The Texas Tribune releases a highly unsettling list of prominent Republicans who are primed to spread the damage...
Nov 01, 2024•9 min
Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: Urban turnout remains strong, but statewide, Republican turnout appears to be comfortably outpacing Democratic voting: https://www.kxan.com/news/texas-politics/texas-republicans-lead-early-turnout-by-more-than-a-million-early-vote-data-suggests/ Elon Musk has sunk $2 million into a PAC dedicated to supporting Republican challengers to Democratic judges in Texas: https://www.tpr.org/government-politics/2024-10-30/elon-musk-makes-2-million-do...
Oct 31, 2024•7 min
In a case that has been winding through the courts for seven years, Laredo citizen journalist Priscilla Villareal has won a major battle in what's become a long war over the basic constitutional freedom of the press: her case, in which Laredo police charged her under a law that had never before been applied over her reporting of local, factual, non-biased news, has been sent by the U.S. Supreme Court back to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals for reconsideration. Priscilla joins us to tell her sto...
Oct 30, 2024•20 min
Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: As early voting continues, Harris County closes in on one million early votes cast, while the top 5 most populous Texas counties remain under 40% turnout, and some Hill Country counties top 50%: https://www.sos.texas.gov/elections/historical/index.shtml NBC News still shows very few Texans under 40 showing up so far - less than 10% have been under 30: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-elections/texas-results Following the lead of Dallas...
Oct 30, 2024•8 min
Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: Massive turnout in Texas' urban counties continues, as the early percentage performance of rural counties appears to be stalling: https://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/index.shtml An NBC early voting interface shows a striking lack of younger turnout: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-elections/texas-results An Axios voter registration percentage map shows Texas among the 7 states with the lowest levels of eligible voters in the game: h...
Oct 29, 2024•9 min
Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: In-person turnout has been massive in the first half of the 2024 early voting period, with higher percentages in rural counties than urban: https://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/historical/index.shtml ...However, overall turnout is actually down at this stage compared to 2020, when mail-in ballots saw a giant spike due to the pandemic: https://www.expressnews.com/politics/article/early-voting-trends-texas-19863618.php ...Paper registration ...
Oct 28, 2024•8 min
This weekend, we all have an opportunity to catch one of the most important documentary films involving reproductive freedom to have yet been produced. The film Zurawski v Texas is a stunningly-intimate inside and real-time view of the highly personal dilemmas that faced Amanda Zurawski and the other eventual plaintiffs in her groundbreaking case for basic essential healthcare for pregnant people in Texas, and is a must-see for not only people concerned with that issue, but for ALL Texans, as we...
Oct 25, 2024•21 min
Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: A growing number of urban Texas counties exceed 100,000 early votes cast, as a growing number of rural Texas counties top 27% early turnout: https://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/index.shtml ...Progress Texas weighs in on the huge early turnout: https://progresstexas.org/blog/statement-texas-early-voting-excitement-shatters-records ...Want to confirm that your ballot was counted? It takes some doing, but can be done: https://www.wfaa.com/ar...
Oct 25, 2024•9 min
Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: Even missing key data, the Texas Secretary of State's tally of early turnout shows massive interest in the election across the state, but the biggest numbers in our urban counties: https://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/historical/index.shtml Keep in mind that you can't use your smartphone while voting: https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2024/10/24/dont-even-think-about-using-your-phone-at-the-polls-key-electronic-rules-every-texas-vot...
Oct 24, 2024•7 min
At publishing time, we're on the third day of early voting in the monumentally consequential 2024 election - which marks the 30th anniversary of the last time any Democrat won a statewide office in Texas (it just so happens that Kamala Harris is set to visit Texas this week - the first campaign visit by a Presidential candidate this close to the election over the same 30 years). We're joined by Garry Mauro, who was one of the five Democrats who won in 1994 - the same year that the beloved Govern...
Oct 23, 2024•48 min
Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: Texas officially set a new all-time turnout record for the first day of early voting on Monday: https://www.khou.com/article/news/politics/elections/texas-early-voting-record-set/285-8314514c-859a-48bb-9311-08d7a591bd6f ...It's due both to massive population growth, and rates of voter registration that outpace that growth: https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/4947150-texas-early-voting-turnout-record/ ...Despite a viral video that has s...
Oct 23, 2024•9 min
Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: Massive, record-breaking turnout on the first day of early voting in the 2024 election yesterday in North Texas: https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/texas-news/texas-is-the-third-least-safe-state-to-live-in-america-heres-why/3676621/?os=vb.&ref=app ...In the Austin area: https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/long-wait-times-seen-as-early-voting-kicks-off-in-texas ...In the Houston area: https://www.fox26houston.com/news/harris-county-clerk-add...
Oct 22, 2024•8 min
Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: We encourage all committed progressives to VOTE TODAY, and to spend the next two weeks pestering everyone you know to vote as well: https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/11-day-early-voting-stretch-begins-monday-in-texas/3676004/?os=io....dbr5yxkr&ref=app ...Texas officials have made it plain that they don't want young, diverse Texans to participate: https://www.expressnews.com/opinion/commentary/article/texas-voter-suppression-2024-1983698...
Oct 21, 2024•9 min
Early voting is almost here, and while many of our regulars are excited to vote for Kamala Harris and Colin Allred, we remind you that it's important to understand and vote your ENTIRE ballot - and nowhere in Texas is that more true this time than in Dallas. Propositions S, T, and U are written for the ballot to appear common sense, public safety and accountability measures, but in reality, they threaten to bankrupt the City of Dallas' budget and grant unprecedented local control to wealthy acti...
Oct 18, 2024•43 min
Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: Legal wrangling involving courts from a local Austin judge to the U.S. Supreme Court leaves death row inmate Robert Roberson still alive this morning, for now: https://www.khou.com/video/news/local/texas-supreme-court-blocks-execution-of-robert-roberson/285-2dbb3d89-871c-4579-a7df-0115682c07ba ...SCOTUS declined to intervene, Austin Judge Jessica Mangrum DID intervene, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals overrruled Mangrum, and the Texas Su...
Oct 18, 2024•8 min
Stories we're following this morning at Progress Texas: Texas is now hours from executing a man who experts - and his own prosecutors - agree was convicted on junk science. The bipartisan Texas House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence has issued a subpoena for Roberson to testify before them at a date beyond his scheduled execution: https://www.texastribune.org/2024/10/17/texas-execution-robert-roberson-subpoena/ ...The state, for over a decade, has ignored a 2013 law that allows convictions ba...
Oct 17, 2024•8 min
